


scenes from a marriage, or the phantom thread pegging fic

by geocentrist



Category: Phantom Thread (2017)
Genre: Bisexuality, Established Relationship, F/M, Pegging, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2019-06-27 18:05:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15690588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geocentrist/pseuds/geocentrist
Summary: "my wife knew I was homosexual. all of society is double-gaited."-charles james on his marriage to nancy lee gregoryalma and reynolds are in love and they would do anything for each other(in the interest of transparency I should state upfront that this is a WIP and the pegging hasn’t happened yet, but it will, trust me.)





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> I know this is very short, I'm mostly posting it so I have accountability to keep writing this
> 
> ( / ) means the next speech begins at that point
> 
> an empty line means a character indicates something silently 
> 
> “beat” means like, a silent dramatic moment that shifts the scene to a new place

_ they are lying in bed. it is sunday morning, around 9am. not yet time for breakfast. reynolds is in his pajamas. alma is in a slip. it is a little chilly and they are still under the covers.  _

 

a: reynolds?

r: yes

a: do you like men better or women

 

_ his face freezes for a moment and then he looks upward in amused distress. _

 

r: I like you.

a: I know you like me but, forget me. pretend I’m not here. 

r: do you really want to 

a: yes

r: well I suppose. I mean men are. fun. it’s nice to have something solid to hold onto 

a: yes

r: and then to let go of again. but women are more. well, beautiful 

a: yes

r: closer to god, I think

a: what do you mean? 

 

_ he studies his hands. _

 

r: that which is beautiful and--graceful. and lovely. shows us the divine on earth

a: men can’t be graceful?

r: not in my experience, no. 

 

_ she opens her mouth to say something and then closes it and smiles. _

 

r: what

a: no nothing

r: what were you going to 

 

_ he’s feigning being annoyed but he’s smiling, too _

 

a: can I ask you something else

r: well what is it

a:  _ (pause)  _ do you like to suck cock

r:  _ (pause) _ that is not what I was expecting you to ask 

 

_ another pause: she’s holding his gaze, not going to let him back out of it. _

 

r: why do you want to 

a: I’m curious

 

_ he keeps looking at her; he wants more of an explanation. _

 

a: there’s so much about your life I don’t know

   I want to know about all of you

r:  _ (pause) _ yes

 

_ she smiles widely _

 

a: I thought so 

r: really? you 

a: yes

r: how

a: because when you--sometimes you  _ (she bites one of his knuckles) _ it seems like you like doing that

r: ah. yes. well 

 

_ he looks to the side; he’s blushing a little. she’s blushing too, but not looking away. he reaches out and strokes her hair.  _

 

r: what about you? 

a: me? 

r: did you ever like women

a: yes

r: when

a: before the war. back in brussels. there was a girl 

 

_ pause. he waits _

 

a: I don’t like to talk about it

r: no of course

   that’s alright

 

_ she’s not crying, but she does snuggle closer to him and he puts his arm around her, strokes her hair _

 

r: it is a bit early in the morning

a: mm

 

_ she giggles and then he does too _

 

a: breakfast?

r: yes I think so 

a: good 

  
  
  



	2. 2

_ she is giving him a bath. he bathes every morning, but sometimes after a particularly long and stressful day he asks her to give him a bath after dinner. she always says yes.  _

_ she is kneeling beside the tub and scrubbing his back. she is barefoot and has taken off the dress she wore to dinner, so she is only in her slip, but she hasn't unpinned her hair yet. she is looking at her own hands as they work. his eyes are closed. _

 

r: tell me about that girl

 

_ she purses her lips and stops scrubbing for a moment, then starts again _

 

r: did she die? in the war

a: yes

r: what was her name 

a: helene 

r: did you love her very much 

a: I don’t know

  we were at school together 

  I don’t know if she’s. I haven’t been able to find her

r: oh but I’m sure if we go to the embassy then

a: no

   I don’t want to talk about it. 

 

_ she gathers water in her hands and rinses him off  _

 

r: alright 

a: I haven’t tried very hard to find anyone 

   it seems like another world 

r: mm

a: I only want to worry about right now. things that make me happy. being with you

 

_ he turns to look at her. she smiles wanly at him _

 

a: hair

 

_ he turns back and dunks his head in the water. she goes for the shampoo and lathers it in her hands before starting to work it through his hair _

 

a: this morning. I think cyril noticed that something was different

r: yes I noticed that too she remarked on my being in a good mood 

a: yes. were you?    
r: I suppose 

 

_ he turns to her and smiles. she takes her hands out of his hair. _

 

r: I like talking to you before breakfast. it gives me something else to think about

a:  _ (smiling back)  _ what were you thinking about 

 

_ he turns back and rinses his hair out. she rinses her hands in the water. he sits up and scoots back in the tub. she leans toward him. he takes her hand and kisses it. he runs his tongue over the side of her index finger and sucks on her knuckle, smiling. then he makes a face.  _

 

r: soap 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

_she has left him to towel off. she is in bed, in her slip she wears as a nightgown. the light by the bed is on and she is reading. (she’s reading proust, not that it matters.) reynolds appears in the doorframe in his bathrobe. the hall light is off so the only light on him is the bedside lamp. she puts the book down on her chest and looks at him. they hold this look for a moment._

 

a: are you going to come to bed or are you going to make me go over there

 

_he shifts slightly (his arms are crossed, he is leaning against the doorframe). he smiles at her in a way that suggests that he is definitely going to make her go over there. she rolls her eyes puts the book on the table, saving her place first. she walks over to him and holds him. it’s a chaste hug; she’s missed him for the past ten minutes._

 

a: you smell clean

r: mm

 

_she pulls back and looks at him. she traces his cheek and he leans into her touch. he kisses the heel of her hand._

a: soap?

r: no

 

_she frames his face with her hands. he smiles at her. they stay like that for a moment. then he kneels and kisses her belly. she laughs and drapes her arms around him. he looks up at her. she brushes his hair out of his eyes. he starts lightly pressing kisses to the front of her thighs, looking up at her all the while. she leans forward and closes the door, forcing him to kind of scoot backward on his knees. she goes to her knees, too. they look at each other. they put their foreheads together and close their eyes. with their eyes closed:_

 

r: alma

a: yes

r: I

kiss me

 

_she opens her eyes and looks at him gravely. his eyes are still closed. she smiles. she puts a hand on the side of his face, leans in and kisses him._


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they finally have sex in this one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> u can follow me on tumblr @snulbug2

_ a different night. they are lying side by side on the bedroom floor. they are still in their evening clothes, although alma is barefoot and reynolds is in shirtsleeves with his bowtie undone. they might be a little drunk. _

r: what time is it

a: I don’t know

r: there’s a clock behind you

a: well you get up and look at the clock if you want to know what time it is so much

_ he over and props himself up on his elbows, looks at the clock, then groans and drops his head into his elbows. _

r: two in the fucking morning

a: poor baby

_ he makes his way, shakily, to his feet, groaning dramatically. alma stays on the ground, looking up at him. he looks down at her. _

r: hello

a: hello

_   (beat) _

  what’s going on reynolds

  you’re sulking

r: I’m not sulking

a: yes you are

_ he clenches his jaw and looks away, then sits on the bed, leans forward  _ [ _ puts his head in his hands _ ](https://66.media.tumblr.com/175cc54238b913f127001c4f40adaaf0/tumblr_pdkbeoQMyg1wlluvdo2_400.gif) _. alma props her head up on her elbow and continues looking intently at him from her spot on the floor. _

r: it’s getting more difficult

a: what is

r: everything. I don’t know. I think I used to be able to go for longer before it started to become difficult

_ beat. she stands and sits next to him on the bed.  _ [ _ he puts his head in her lap and she strokes his hair _ ](https://66.media.tumblr.com/fedceab9cfed0875c65ade3f71fa90e1/tumblr_pabr8iHMV11relmhpo2_500.png) _. she strokes his cheek. he catches her thumb in his teeth. she smiles to herself. he looks up at her and smiles back. they hold that for a moment, and then she lifts him up to her and kisses him deeply. his hand goes up to her face and tucks her hair behind her cheek as she kisses him. he breaks the kiss and  _ [ _ looks at her as she holds him _ ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/52/37/7d/52377d9f514bd1d4a2aa8281e1d8c457.jpg) _. _

_ she lets him go and he sits back up. she kneels on the ground and unlaces his shoes. he is looking at her, but she is looking at his shoes; it’s almost like she’s refusing to look at him. there is a vigorous quality to her movements that is a change from the leisurely quality of the scene up to this point. when she’s gotten one of his shoes off and unlaced the other, he puts his hand on her head and she looks up suddenly. _

_ he takes his hand away as if afraid he’s done something wrong. she grabs his hand and rubs her cheek against it, kissing the palm. she lets go of his hand and it hovers in the air uncertainly. holding his gaze, she puts her hands on his knees and pushes his legs apart. he inhales sharply. she draws her hands up and down his inner thighs, holding his gaze. then she lays her head down on his right knee, playfully imitating when he put his head on her lap earlier. he smiles. _

r: making fun of me?

a: always

r: mm

_ he puts his hand back down on her head. she goes on slowly stroking the inner side of his left thigh with her hand. then she holds her hand still and makes circles with her thumb. _

r: alma

_ she bites at his right thigh and he makes a small oh sound . _

a: yes?

_ he nods. _

_ she kisses up the inside of his thigh and then mouths at his groin through his trousers. _

r: wait. the dress

_ she nods and stands up, assuming  _ [ _ her fitting posture _ ](https://66.media.tumblr.com/c600889ba167f4bca98fbbe51718b226/tumblr_p535ikNbsa1qzs7uio8_r1_400.gif) _ (stock still, upright, shoulders back, arms slightly out). he stands and the fact that he’s half-hard becomes obvious. she smirks. he moves behind her and unbuttons the back of her dress, his manner becoming incongruously workmanlike. she steps out of the dress and he picks it up from the ground, folds it in half, flattens it out and goes to the other side of the room to drape it across a chair. he goes back to her, standing in her slip, and stands very close to her without touching. she takes his hand and leads him to the bed. _

_ she lays him down and takes his other shoe off, then goes for his trousers. he has his arms sort of carelessly thrown around his head and he lifts his hips as she pulls his trousers and drawers off. _

_ she settles between his legs and pauses. he now has his eyes squeezed shut and his hands clenched very tightly into fists. she kisses his belly, his thigh, and the place just below his hip bone. then places a line of very soft kisses along the length of his penis. _

r: dear god alma really? 

_ she grins and puts her mouth on him for real (she has her hand on him too, she’s not quite good enough at this to swallow him all the way, but it’s still enough to make him shudder violently.) _

r: fucking fuck

_ she stops. he opens his eyes. _

a: you need to relax

r:  _ (more tense than should be humanly possible)  _ I am relaxed

_ she pauses for a moment, looking at him, then sits up on her knees and bends over him, unbuttoning his shirt. he makes an 'ugh, really?' face, but holds his arms up so she can take his shirt off. he's now fully naked except for his socks, and she still has her slip on.  _

a: did you bathe before dinner

r:  _ (confused)  _ yes

a: _ (nods, then:)  _ turn over

r: turn over? 

a: on your belly 

_ he gives her a sideways 'what are you doing' look, but does as she says.  _

_ she kneads at his shoulders and then his lower back  _

r: christ alma I told you I'm fine

a: shh

_ she moves his legs apart and goes back down onto her elbows. she puts her hands on his ass and suddenly he goes very still.  _

a: reynolds? 

r: yes

_ she's not sure what that yes means so she climbs back up, lying half on top of him, and kisses his neck, keeping one hand on his thigh.  _

a: is this alright? 

_ he turns around to face her. she brushes the hair from his forehead.  _

r: alma

a: yes

r: this is what you want? or is / it what you think I want 

a: yes

it's what I want.

_ (smiling) _ it's what I want

r: _ (smiling)  _ alright

a: yes?

r: yes

_ she kisses him lightly. _

a: good

r: I'd just like to, um, like this 

he goes onto his hands and knees.

r: so I can-- 

a: right

_ she kisses his shoulder. she moves down and settles behind him, tucking her feet under her. she leans down and bites his his ass and he yelps-- _

r: OH my god

she laughs.

r: oh this is funny to you is it

a: yes, very 

_ then she puts her tongue in his ass and he makes a sound she hasn’t heard him make before, somewhere between a sob and a sigh. his hand flies between his legs instinctively and she wants to be the one touching him but it'll do for now, after all she's never done this before so she's taking it one step at a time. she runs her hands up and down the backs of his thighs.  _

 

r: you can-- 

a: mmn? 

r: deeper

yes like that. oh god alma

a:  _ (pulling back)  _ do you want me to use my fingers

r: um 

no not--yet I don't think 

a: alright

 

_ he’s quiet, though not as quiet as he usually is. every humming sound, every little groan and gasp that she works out of him gives her a little thrill. then just before he comes, he says: _

 

r: fuck, alma, oh, FUCK _!  _

 

_ —which, while not the most romantic thing he’s ever said to her, makes her very happy anyway.  _

 

_ he collapses onto his side, looking sort of limp, the way that people on morphine look. he smiles at her.  _

 

_ she takes her underwear off and straddles his waist, taking one of his hands and putting it between her legs. she’s very wet.  _

 

r: do you want 

a: inside, yes 

 

_ he curves one, then two of his fingers inside of her, and she hisses. her arms hang at her sides as she rocks her hips back and forth with her eyes closed. she’s smiling. he thinks she looks like an angel, or like a saint in ecstasy. when she comes, she just says:  _

 

a: oh. 

 

_ she stays like that for a little white after, rocking his fingers inside of her. then she climbs off of him and lies down next to him. they smile at each other.  _

 

r: good? 

a: yes. you? 

r: yes. 

 

_ he kisses her, then goes to wash, like he always does. she lets her eyes drift shut waiting for him to come back. when he does, she wraps her arms around him and kisses his neck. they go to sleep almost immediately; they have to be up early in the morning to work.  _


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it turns out this fic is about hands

_they are sitting on a sofa under a blanket by the fire in the house in the country. it is nine o’clock. one of the dogs is dozing by the fireplace, and one is sitting next to reynolds, who pets it absently. they are both in their pajamas and robes. alma is reading. she puts down her book._

a: I’d like to go to town tomorrow 

r: what for 

a: I want to stop by the restaurant 

r: where you used to work? 

a: mm 

    I want to see if a girl I knew is still working there 

r: what girl 

a:

r: is this the girl you were telling me about

a: when

r: a few weeks ago

    in the bath

a: 

r: is it? 

a: no this is not that girl. that was in belgium and the nazis killed her 

r: oh

a: why would you think it was—

r: no reason 

 _beat_  

r: can we go foraging tomorrow

a: we’ll see 

r: oh we’ll see will we 

a: mm 

_he reaches to the side table, finds a thimble, and throws it at her_

a: hey!

_she makes like she's going to throw her book at him, then decides not to stoop to his level and goes back to reading._  
_he puts his head on her lap. she strokes his hair._  
_he grabs her hand and bites her knuckles._

a: I am trying to read

_a standoff, then he lets go of her hand. she stands, causing him to sit up. his hair looks crazy and she smiles and smooths it back into place. he leans against her belly and she holds his head. then he leans back._

r: time for bed?

a: mm hm 

r: so are we going foraging / tomorrow 

a:  _(exiting)_ no!

r: _(following)_ oh why not

a:  _(climbing the stairs)_ it's too much! stop asking me about it 

 


	5. 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this one has absolutely nothing to do with pegging, or even much to do with reynolds and alma actually, sorry

_the next morning. the bell chimes as alma steps into the restaurant, wearing a coat.* it’s late march, by the way. alma catches the eye of one of the waitresses, is in the middle of taking a customer’s order. the waitress looks at her, alma smiles, the waitress widens her eyes and finishes taking the order. alma goes and sits at a free table by the window. the waitress puts the order in at the kitchen and walks over to alma’s table, but does not sit down. alma smiles again._

_*(it’s the coat that she’s wearing in the “whatever you do, do it carefully” scene)_

 

a: hello / maggie

 

m: _(formal)_ d’you want to order anything

 

_beat: alma smiles a little wider, then says:_

 

a: ahm, coffee?

 

m: _(writing that down)_ anything else

 

a: what time are you off

 

_pause_

 

m: three

 

a: _(as maggie is walking away)_ right

 

_after a moment, she walks back_

 

m: you can just come by at three now, alma, you don’t have to sit here and wait for me

 

a: I have a book

 

 _maggie sighs and rolls her eyes, then walks away. alma takes out her book, which is_ the waves _by virginia woolf._

 

***********************************

_cut to: alma and maggie sitting on a hill ten minutes’ walk from the main road. they have walked there and sat down in silence. maggie takes out cigarettes, offers one to alma, she takes it. they smoke._

 

m: so what did you want to

 

_she glances over at alma, who is looking at her intently, her head cocked to one side. it makes her uncomfortable, so she looks away._

 

a: how are you

 

m: t’ same

 

a: yes

 

a: I miss you

 

m: _(makes a_ pff _sound and shakes her head)_ and what am I supposed to—

 

a: no, it’s not—I don’t want to 

I don’t want to come back

I have—I’m with someone else

but I still think about you

not all the time but sometimes

I wonder what you’re doing

I wonder how you are

and if you think about me too

and I happened to be staying in town so I thought it was silly to sit and wonder when you were just ten miles up the road

 

m: you’re just ten mile—?

 

a: yes

 

m: you never come in

 

a: we don’t go to town very often

 

m: you and your—

 

a: husband

 

m: oh I see

 

_beat_

 

a: so how have you—

 

m: _(a little angry)_ there’s nowt to tell

 

you look so different

reckon it’s the marital bliss

 

a: I am happy

 

m: well that’s _good_

 

a: I’m sorry, this isn’t what / I—

 

m: well what did you—

 

a: I think I am just afraid of letting you become another ghost

 

m: I’m not dead

 

a: no

 

_beat_

 

m: I miss you too I think

I mean, I think I missed you already when you were here

you always seemed like you were still over there or summat

like you were waiting for a letter saying it was alright for you to go on back home

you’re not like that now

 

a: no

 

m: but you’re not here either

I don’t know where you are now

my nan asked about you t’ other day

_(alma opens her mouth to say something)_

alma if you fucking ask me how my nan is getting on I swear to christ

 

a: maggie

 

m: don’t

 

a:

 

a: it’s so strange. I didn’t expect you to be—

I don’t know what I expected actually

I am not used to going back to a place and finding that everything is the same

 

m: we never really knew each other proper

 

a: I don’t think that’s true

 

m: well maybe not

so what’s he do then your husband

 

a: he makes dresses

 

 _maggie stares at her incredulously, then snorts and starts to laugh with her mouth closed. alma starts to laugh too_.

 

m: you serious?

 

a: yes

 

m: fucking hell

does he make you dresses, like?

 

a: yes

 

m: jesus

is he a—

 

a: yes, he’s—it’s kind of hard to explain

 

m: you don’t have to tell me    _[as in, “you don’t have to tell_ me, _I know”]_

it’s good to see you

 

a: it’s good to see you too

 

m: but I don’t think you should come back here again

to see me, I mean

 

a: alright

 

m: I mean—you know?

I don’t think you actually want to see me

 

a: I do

 

m: nah I don’t think so

 

_maggie puts her hand on alma’s cheek and smiles at her, then stubs out her cigarette_

 

m: okay

I should be getting home

it's alright for you to miss me

but

you know?

 

_alma nods_

 

a: thank you

 

_maggie nods and walks away. alma stays on the hill for a while._


End file.
